Coughlin aims for spot on Olympic bobsled team

Dec. 10, 2013

Written by

Poughkeepsie Journal

Bobsledding became an immediate addiction for Colin Coughlin, but choosing between bobsledding and school put the football player at Springfield College in quite a predicament.

"He wanted to go back to Springfield," said Coughlin's mom, Elise. "When he said that, myself and quite a few of his family members said this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. College is important, but in another three years there could be another 19-year-old in that spot. You can always go back to college.

"A few months into the semester, he gave me a call. He said coach called again and Colin said he was going to do this. I said, 'great.' It's an exciting opportunity for potentially a really big thing. He finished out the semester and went to Lake Placid."

Coughlin, now 21, will be competing with the U.S. Bobsled Development Team at next week's North American Cup event in Lake Placid — the final event of the 2012-13 season that included stops in former Olympic centers in Park City, Utah, and Calgary, Alberta (Canada).

The North American Cup is a competitive development program offering bobsledders from around the world the opportunity to work toward becoming members of their respective World Cup and Olympic teams.

"There is such a prestige and legacy with the Olympics," Colin Coughlin said. "As soon as I went up (to Lake Placid) and saw the Olympic rings, it's such an honor to be a part of it.

"I was hooked immediately. I was sold when I went down the track the first time. There is an adrenaline rush. Wow that was incredible and couldn't wait to do it again. Once I started to drive, it got even better. It's a lot of fun."

Coughlin continues to grow as a bobsledder. In the past two years, he's gone from a brakeman to a driver and from the two-man to the four-man sled. An Olympic bobsled, which costs $30,000-$50,000, will average 70-90 miles per hour and will travel over 100 miles per hour.

"Colin is a young driver with all the qualities necessary to become a World Cup driver someday if he continues to work hard," Team USA assistant coach Mike Kohn said in a statement. "Colin is currently in the minor leagues of bobsled but we expect him to move up in the next few years. He is a hard-working young man with a great deal of talent and is easy to coach.

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"What he needs right now like any bobsled driver in the early stages of his career is financial support. It's a tough and expensive sport, but knowing Colin, he will find a way to make it happen. We are proud to have him in our development program."

Coughlin grew up in Fishkill and played football at Our Lady of Lourdes High School before attending Springfield College. He began training at Jerry North's Northstar Sports while in high school and it was North who introduced an 18-year-old Coughlin to bobsledding at the combine in Lake Placid.

"This sport is all about explosion," North said. "Colin is very explosive. He was always an explosive, strong and driven kid.

"Now he's taken this to aa whole different level, which is great. He knows what it takes to be a world-class athlete. He has potential that hasn't been tapped yet."

Coughlin's competitive and driven nature has taken him to a point where representing his country on the World Cup and Olympic teams is a possibility. He's also back in school — taking online classes in exercise science at California University (Pa.).

"I'd like to think anything is possible," Coughlin said. "With how much experience I have and where I am right now, I believe the 2018 Olympics is much more likely.

"The end result and my goal is to go to the Olympics and win a medal."